Getting a Hold of Skitching
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Methods
2.1. Search Strategy
2.2. Inclusion Criteria
3. Results and Discussion
3.1. What is Skitching and What is Required?
Skitching Type | Skitcher Characteristics | Source | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Age | Gender | Motorized Vehicle Involved | Outcome | Other Information | ||
Bicycle Skitching | 12 & 14 | Male | truck | internal injuries after losing balance and being partially run over (n = 1); fatality (n = 1) | Location of Incidents: Australia (n = 2) Driver Characteristics: stranger to cyclist (n = 2); truck driver became aware of the cyclists and tried to take evasive action (n = 1) Circumstances that lead to fatality or injuries (if known or speculated): tyre of bike hit the car, bike flipped and cyclist run over (n = 1) | Newspaper Articles: 2 Incidents Covered in Articles: 2 Sources: [2,20] |
Skateboard Skitching | 14–36; Mean Age: 19 | Male | car (n = 8); truck (n = 3); pickup/ute (n = 2); moped (n = 1) and golf cart (n = 1) | Fatalities (n = 8); Serious Injuries: serious internal injuries (n = 2); serious head injuries (n = 4) and other minor injuries (n = 2). | Location of Incidents: USA (n = 12); Australia (n = 5) Driver Characteristics–Ages-16–18; most common friend or relative; driver suggested to be under influence of alcohol (n = 2) Circumstances that lead to fatality or injuries (if known or speculated): speed–20–25 mph (USA articles); 30–50 km/h (Australian articles); lost control or let go; skitchers listed as wearing a helmet (n = 0); small towns (n = 3–Australia); multiple skitchers on the one car (n = 2); videos footage being taken (n = 2); person had prior experience undertaking skitching (n = 3) | Newspaper Articles: 13 Other Sources: 7 Incidents Covered in Articles: 17 Sources: [21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40] |
Long board Skitching | 18 | Male | Car | Fatality | Location of Incident: USA (n = 1) Driver Characteristic: Age-18 Circumstances that lead to fatality or injuries (if known of speculated): <40 km/h (<25 mph); not wearing a helmet | Newspaper Articles: 1 Incidents Covered in Articles: 1 Source: [41] |
3.2. Who Skitches and Why?
3.3. Why is Skitching Dangerous and What Are the Risk Factors?
3.3.1. The Skitching Host: The Motor Vehicle
3.3.2. The Skitching Host: Willing or Unwilling; Aware or Unaware?
Relationship—Driver Known to Skitcher | Driver Awareness—Skitcher’s Presence on Vehicle | Driving Behavior—Likely Informed by Relationship and Awareness | Hypothesized Danger Level—Least (1) to Most (7) Dangerous * Based on Driving Speed and Stability, Capacity for Skitcher to Disengage Safely and Presence of Road Conditions |
---|---|---|---|
Driver Unknown | Unaware | Driving to road conditions | 6-as likely following speed restrictions (typically reasonable acceleration ≥ 40 km/h) |
Aware | Attempts to dislodge skitcher–going faster and/or swerving | 7-Erratic driving behavior likely to result in a fall | |
Attempts to dislodge skitcher–purposefully stopping or slowing down | 1-Skitcher will quickly detach from a slow or uncooperative vehicle | ||
Drives normally as per road conditions | 4-Likely to have concentration strongly diverted so dangerous for driver, other road users and skitcher | ||
Driver Known | Unaware | Driving to road conditions | 5-Assuming skitcher has good visibility of road, traffic and drivers behaviour |
Aware | Driving to road conditions | 3-Likely following speed restrictions but with concentration diverted | |
Driving for the sole purpose of being the host to the skitcher | 2-Likely to not anticipate the impact of rapid acceleration on skitcher. |
3.3.3. The Skitcher and Agent: Experience, Environment and NMRWD
3.4. What Can Be Done to Prevent Engagement or the Injuries and Fatalities That Result from Engagement?
Event Stage | Host | Agent | Vehicle | Physical Environment | Social Environment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pre-event (before the fall) | Encourage appropriate use of NMRWD—including appropriate places for use and need for PPE use at all times | Manufacturers acknowledging limitations of device such as use at speed, stability and need for maintenance | Separate motorized vehicles from pedestrians and users of NMRWD | Provision of public amenities suitable for demographic to safely practice/use devices | Foster adolescent’s social norms to “call out” their friends when planning risky activities and if they proceed inform an adult. |
Event (during fall and time of impact) | Teaching NMRWD users to fall safely and away from traffic/other users | Capacity for device to be controllable by user in times of instability at speed | Driver awareness and safe driving practices. Specific to skitching- if driver aware of skitcher’s presence to be conscious of their visibility and slow immediately if no longer visible | Suitable amount of space between motorized vehicles and between lanes and side walks | Observers if present to call for emergency assistance immediately upon witnessing a fall. Faster assistance increases the injured skitchers chances of survival. |
Post-Event (after skitcher injured by fall) | Remain still, on the ground and in the recovery position until medical personnel arrive | Remove device away if in the way of provision of emergency medical assistance. | Driver and car to be moved if facilitates emergency medical personnel gaining better access to skitcher if not then do not attempt to move. | If something in physical environment resulted in causing instability of skitcher inform the appropriate council to remedy. | Surrender of any video footage to emergency service personnel who may require this for evidence. Observers seek counselling if required. |
3.4.1. Injury Prevention Strategies—Hierarchy of Control
Elimination—Law, Policies and Bans
Substitution—Improving Skate Park Design
Engineering Controls—Vehicle Modifications
Administrative Controls—Training and Restricting Purchasing
Personal Protective Equipment—Helmets
3.5. Limitations
4. Conclusions
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Franklin, R.C.; King, J.C. Getting a Hold of Skitching. Safety 2015, 1, 28-43. https://doi.org/10.3390/safety1010028
Franklin RC, King JC. Getting a Hold of Skitching. Safety. 2015; 1(1):28-43. https://doi.org/10.3390/safety1010028
Chicago/Turabian StyleFranklin, Richard C., and Jemma C. King. 2015. "Getting a Hold of Skitching" Safety 1, no. 1: 28-43. https://doi.org/10.3390/safety1010028